October 2025
Initial Clinical Experience With the Oral Cholate ChallengeTest: Results From the 2023–2024 Early Access Program
Stuart C. Gordon | James Burton | Bhaktasharan Patel | for the EAP Participants | | Liver International Communications | October 2025
The oral cholate challenge test of liver health, intended for use in compensated advanced chronic liver disease, was launched through an Early Access Program (EAP) in 2023–2024. Tests were provided to 16 clinicians at five liver centres across the US. The tested patients (n = 129) represented a range of etiologies and stages of disease. Top clinical uses were: (1) informing the decision for endoscopy to test for varices (n = 56, 43%), (2) defining risk for large oesophageal varices (LEV) (n = 92, 71%), and (3)baseline for monitoring disease progression or treatment effects (n = 33, 26%). The test's disease severity index (DSI) stratified patients according to risk for portal hypertension and LEV: 49 (38%) low risk, 31 (24%) moderate risk and 49 (38%) high risk. The potential impact of DSI ≤ 18.3 on EGD avoidance (38%) in clinical practice replicated that which was observed in prior validation studies (41%). read more →
September 2025
Cholate clearance: improving the assessment of liver health compared to current liver tests (LFTs)
James R. Burton, Jr., MD, Edward Mena, MD, Bhaktasharan Patel, MD | Gastro Hep Advances | September 2025
Current liver function tests (LFTs) either indicate late-stage disease or hepatobiliary injury but do not accurately measure liver function. True quantitative liver function tests, analogous to creatinine clearance for the kidneys, are needed for assessing liver health. read more →
August 2025
The Cholate Challenge Test Quantified Baseline Functional Heterogeneity and Improvement in Response to Resmetirom in MASH-related Child Pugh A Cirrhosis
Naim Alkhouri, Michael P. McRae, Rebecca Taub, Brandon Hill, Joanne C. Imperial, John Kittelson, Sam E. Moussa, Gregory T. Everson | Gastro Hep Advances | August 2025
In this study of MASH-related Child-Pugh A cirrhosis (MASH cirrhosis), we used the cholate challenge test to quantify baseline disease severity and the subsequent impact of resmetirom treatment. read more →
Coming Soon
Scientific Research: Posters & Presentations
The Quantitative HepQuant DuO Test Uncovers the Functional Heterogeneity of Advanced Chronic Liver Disease
Author: J.C. Imperial, M.P. McRae, and G.T. Everson
Event: 9th Annual MASH Drug Development Summit
Simultaneous quantification of function of native human liver and porcine liver in an extracorporeal circuit derived from the blood concentrations of intravenously injected 13C-cholate
Author: Abraham Shaked, Michael P. McRae, Joanne C. Imperial, Leanne Lanieri, Alexander Sagar, Kathryn C. Stiede, Kirsten G. Swenson, Peter Friend, Gregory T. Everson
Event: DDW 2025 Presentation
Pilot Study of a Model Based on Noninvasive Assessments of Portal-Systemic Shunting (HepQuant DuO), Hepatic Fibrosis (FibroScan), and Splenic Congestion (Platelet Count) for Accurate Prediction of Portal Hypertension and Clinically Significant Portal Hypertension
Author: J.C. Imperial, M.P. McRae, and G.T. Everson
Event: Liver Connect | March 2025
Resmetirom Therapy of MASH-Associated Child Pugh A Cirrhosis Reduces Estimated Risk for Clinical Outcome Based on HepQuant RISK ACE Model
Author: J.C. Imperial, M.P. McRae, R. Taub, and G.T. Everson
Event: Liver Connect | March 2025
Quantifying Liver Function by Cholate Clearance in Extracorporeal Circuits with a Genetically Modified Porcine Liver and Brain-Dead Human Decedent
Author: A. Shaked, M.P. McRae, L. Lanieri, A. Sagar, K.C. Stiede, K.G. Swenson, P. Friend, G.T. Everson
Event: EASL May 2025
Coming Soon
Professional Organizations
Coming Soon
- American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD)
- American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)
- American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)
- American Society of Transplantation (AST)
- American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN)
- European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL)
- Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL)
- International Liver Transplant Society (ILTS)
- American Heart Association (AHA)
- American Cancer Society (ACS)